Biarritz through to Heineken Cup final
Bath 9 Biarritz 18
Bath’s Heineken Cup adventure came to a soggy end as they were sunk by French champions Biarritz at a rain-swept Estadio Anoeta.
Biarritz made it third time lucky after two successive failed semi-final attempts, subduing a battling Bath outfit through five Dimitri Yachvili penalties and a Damien Traille drop-goal.
French international star Yachvili, scourge of England during the past three Six Nations campaigns, produced a faultless goal-kicking display in difficult conditions.
Although Bath, bidding to reach a first Heineken Cup final since they were crowned European champions in 1998, gave it everything, they lacked the guile and poise to break down a supremely-organised Biarritz defence.
Fly-half Chris Malone kicked three penalties for the English challengers, but they had England lock Danny Grewcock sin-binned late in the second half after a mass brawl which also saw Biarritz prop Petru Balan yellow-carded.
The northern Spanish coast had been drenched by rain ever since Bath arrived on Thursday and there was no respite during the game, with a slippery pitch making life difficult for both teams.
But Biarritz, despite never hitting top gear, always looked the more dangerous team and they will now meet Munster or Leinster in next month’s Millennium Stadium final.
Bath’s exit also means that England will have six places in next season’s Heineken Cup, with France taking seven courtesy of Biarritz reaching the final.
